The present invention relates to an apparatus for mounting a casting pipe having therethrough a discharge opening to an outlet of a metallurgical vessel to enable discharge of molten metal from the vessel through an opening of the output in through the discharge opening of the casting pipe. More particularly, the present invention relates to such an apparatus of the type including a support member, for example a bearing arm, that supports or receives at least one casting pipe and that is mounted on or relative to the metallurgical vessel so as to be adjustable both in opposite directions parallel to the axis of the outlet opening and in opposite directions transverse to such axis.
Disclosed in German DE-OS 25 57 726 is an apparatus having two holders or arms each of which receives a casting pipe and that is mounted on a metallurgical vessel. Each casting pipe is pivoted around a vertical axis below the vessel outlet by means of the respective holder that is in the form of a swivel arm and is then forced upwardly against the vessel outlet by means of an adjusting device. In this apparatus a slide enclosure unit or slide gate is mounted between the vessel and the casting pipe. Instead of such slide gate, a stopper or a so-called free-running nozzle could be employed. Even with such a slide gate or with a stopper, it is known that for various reasons it can happen that while metal is being discharged, the intended closure member, such as a slide plate of the slide gate or the stopper, no longer can be operated to close off discharge of the molten metal. When this happens, the molten metal flows in an uncontrolled manner, and the result can be significant damage to the installation and danger to operating personnel.